"Do you think we have started judging from the wrong end, this looks very unusual for a sterling engine?" "I think you are right, we had better change those comments about the flying scotsman not looking true to type"

Well lets see.

Traipsing down to MEX after having recently done the Bristol show.?

Or jumping in the Donald for a swift 120 mile blat up the M6, M56, M53 to see the Delectable Debs ?

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No contest.

"I did not ... But surely that was the point of the thread"

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Did you read the title ?

MichaelG.

Yup - still no wiser!

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1. John Stevenson asked [rather pointedly, I thought] who, of those commenting, went to the show.
2. I answered that I did not, and noted the purpose of the thread, by way of asserting my right to comment.

MEX Photos for those that stayed home

... Is it really so incomprehensible ?

MichaelG.

Great photos. Thanks for sharing with those of us unable to make the journey.

Thanks for sharing JasonB, they are great photos.

I was thinking of :

-What no tooling, is he editing the right mag?

-He said he had spruced up that shunter, hate to think what it looked like before!

-Do we have a booby prize?

- Should have stayed at home!!

Or based on Michael's observations

-He should have stuck with the cake making

J

Edited By JasonB on 17/09/2016 07:56:39

HI John, MEX it is then!

Regards Nick.

Not sure how we are supposed to pay for extar lighting, turntables and live TV monitors and keep it affordable ...

Just our luck to have the opening day coincide with Noachian Floods, the near closure of the West Coast Mainline and people being told to avoid the M1 because of the risk of aquaplaning...

Still, it only drizzled a few times and was generally fair, it will be dry and sunnier today.

Overall I was struck by the up-beat atmosphere at the show , for some reason people genuinely seemed to be more cheerful and talking more?

It is a bit of a rabbit warren at first, but like most museums there are really only a couple of routes so if you just follow along eventually you get around everything. Naturally the endless succession of incredible bits of full-size engineering adds to the experience, not to mention things like a Vickers Vimy, Concorde and Hawker Hunter parked outside.

Also despite some cryptic warnings we had in advance there was plenty of catering (indoor and outdoor) with plenty of staff (so sensible queue lengths) and also the much demanded seats in the competition hall!

The quality of the models is outstanding so I felt very out of place. It was a bit cruel to turn up and find the space they had reserved for me was next to Cherry Hill's Royal Chester...

Not too many photos yet, as I'm going back of Sunday, I haven't even seen all displays properly yet, let alone the museum.

Neil

P.S. I'll have you know that there was extensive research into where all the grey muck ends up on cement works shunters!

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O.K. ... I understand now ... it is the Village Show.

I foolishly thought it was the world-renowned 'Model Engineer Exhibition' that has been running since 1907.

MichaelG.

Jason,

Excellent pictures, I like the Lister CS, just a shame the M25, Road to Hell Chris Rea, has to be used to get to the show.

Martin P

Looked like fun, boys and their toys eh. A lot of lovely workmanship there.

It was a bit cruel to turn up and find the space they had reserved for me was next to Cherry Hill's Royal Chester...

Was that really a coincidence Neil... Or an evil organiser with a sense of humour...

Well maybe we could bring in Premium Club Experience tickets, like those for Top Gear Live at £385?

Neil

Caption:

"it's got a nice solid base..."

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Now you're just being silly, Neil

I was trying to make a genuinely helpful suggestion.

A serviceable turntable could easily be made, based on a trailer hub

[total cost probably less than £100]

With the model on the turntable, the Judges, or the builder, could present the details to camera; and the punters could actually get to see something.

MichaelG.

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Edit: Start here ... http://www.indespension.co.uk/unbraked-trailer-hubs/1097-hu031.html

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/09/2016 11:14:40

So whose models get to sit on a turntable and which don't? Do we provide a turntable for each model regardless of size and weight and who is going to make them all? Same with lighting, even a basic supplementary lighting would have do be done for all, if at all or those unlit would really be in the dark.

Or do you mean transporting each model to a turntable for judging? A somewhat perilous activity in a crowded display hall.

Or should the judges carry a hefty trailer hub around the room and move each model onto it for the purpose of judging?

As you are not silly, I have the feeling you may not have attended an exhibition like this and think Jason's photo is of some public scrutiny carried out before an audience? You may not realise that the models are mostly delivered and placed on the Thursday and judged in place before the exhibition starts.

The judging is NOT carried out as live a public event, their discussions are private; Jason's photo is a candid one as I could not also attend on Thursday. Sometimes the judges spend a long time on deliberations and may return to a model several times, especially for the DoE Trophy.

Neil

It was such a disorganised shambles of a layout that i am surprised that the judges actually managed to FIND all the exhibits. Surely some signage telling people where to go would have helped.

I certainly do not think an exhibition with exhibits shoved in corners of random buildings with no evidence of signage as to how to find them is the way to run an exhibition. I am certain I did not get to see every thing but just gave up. trying to find it . Even the trade stands were lacking- I went with an open cheque book & I am afraid it stayed closed

I wanted to watch some trains running along the rail lines but walked away after listening to a crowd of old blokes sitting moaning about their b..y works pensions

As for the museum itself - pretty poor. How can you stick a dirty great bomber ( I assume it was a bomber) in a building, with absolutely no indication whatsoever about what it was supposed to have been, amazes me- but I did not go to see the Brooklands museum so that is not a critisism of the MEX itself.

As for catering I think the DOE prize should go to the outside caterer for their burgers. I chipped a tooth on a bit of mine which did nothing to help the pain of a 3 hour drive each way for a 1 hour walk round.

The only thing in its favour was that it was free. I suspect it was not, but when I passed what might have been the entry desk they were all standing about nattering so I just walked by & wandered round playing hunt the parcel